An MVCDS Education

Explore Our Curriculum

English

The mission of the MVCDS English Department is to promote literacy; we want students to read, write, and think critically, communicate effectively, and understand a variety of perspectives.

English Department Transfer Goals
  • Students will have the ability to write effectively for varied audiences and purposes, in different genres and styles, with a unique voice.
  • Students will overtly reflect on how they read and listen.
  • Students will become competent and proficient readers.
  • Students will understand diverse cultures and experiences.
  • Students will gather, analyze, and communicate complex information effectively.
  • Students will express themselves creatively in ways that reflect original thinking.
  • Students will develop speaking skills that allow them to engage in meaningful discussions and to present their ideas with clarity and supporting evidence.

  • Fourth Grade Language Arts

    Reading and writing units in the 4th and 5th Grade are interconnected. In reading, students are beginning to dive deeper into their reading comprehension. They are becoming more independent in digesting what they have read. Our reading curriculum includes mini-lessons, independent reading, partner reading, book clubs, peer or teacher conferencing, and sharing. We begin by building a reading life and learning strategies to grow independence and continual growth in reading. As the year progresses, we dive deeper into comprehension and learn how to support our understanding with evidence from the text. Students continue to develop their skills as writers by writing every day and participating actively in the revision process. Students receive direct instruction in different units to assist in the development of writing in the areas of personal narratives, persuasive essay writing, and informational writing.

    In our first unit, we explore character traits and work to make connections between characters, texts. and ourselves. We explore other elements of realistic fiction, including theme. We use annotation to write about fiction reading and focus on stating a claim and supporting it with evidence from the text. The second bend of this unit dives deeper into character study. Students discuss characters and themes in fiction book clubs and gather evidence from their reading to support the topic of their persuasive essay: What makes a good friend?

    In our second unit, students study historical fiction texts to prepare to write their own narratives. They learn about elements of a story (characters, setting, plot) and how historical fiction writers incorporate specific elements to accurately bring a time period to life. Students then use the writing process to write their own narratives that use detail to bring the present day to life.

    In our third unit, students learn how to dissect informational text and the important features of non-fiction literature. We conclude the course with a non-fiction biography research where students pick a person to study, research that individual, and create a project to teach the information to their peers. Within this project, students write their informational essay about their person of study.

    Throughout the year, students are building their independent reading and writing life by reading to self, listening to reading, reading to someone, and working on free writing. Students have the flexibility to read trade books that interest them from our classroom library or the resource center as well as read and listen to reading on devices (using teacher-approved websites and apps).
  • Fifth Grade Language Arts

    Reading
    Students in 5th Grade develop their individual reading skills in various genres of fiction and non-fiction text. They apply higher-order thinking habits developed through their years of reading, such as using appropriate resources, to build knowledge and determining vocabulary in context. Teachers continually monitor each student’s reading proficiency and provide the student with appropriate levels of books and instruction. Students participate in “Reader’s Workshop”, which includes mini-lessons, independent reading, peer or teacher conferencing, and sharing. By the end of 5th Grade, students are delving into complex texts, actively and intensively reading multiple genres, and demonstrating skills such as inference, interpretation, and summarization.

    Writing
    Students continue to develop their skills as writers by writing every day and participating actively in the revision process. Students receive direct instruction in three different units to assist in the development of writing: informational writing, research-based argumentative writing, and narratives. Students write research reports in which they use research skills to learn about a central topic and write research reports in their research-based writing unit. The research-based argument essay unit teaches students how to build arguments that balance evidence and analysis to persuade an audience. The narrative craft unit helps students deliberately apply their knowledge of narrative writing to further develop their stories more thematically.
  • Sixth Grade Language Arts

    Students in 6th Grade develop their individual reading skills in various genres of fiction and non-fiction text. They apply higher-order thinking habits developed through years of reading, such as using appropriate resources to build knowledge and determining vocabulary in context. Teachers continually monitor each student’s reading proficiency and provide the student with appropriate levels of books and instruction. Students participate in a reader’s workshop, which includes mini-lessons, independent reading, peer or teacher conferencing, and sharing. By the end of 6th Grade, students are able to delve into complex texts, actively and intensively read multiple genres, and demonstrate skills such as inference, interpretation, and summarization.

    Students continue to develop their skills as writers by writing every day and participating actively in the revision process. Students receive direct instruction in five different units to assist in the development of writing in the areas of personal narratives, persuasive essay writing, and informational writing. Narrative craft helps students deliberately apply their knowledge of narrative writing to further develop their stories more thematically. In the poetry unit, students continue to examine figurative language and apply it in the writing and reciting of their own poetry. The research-based argument essay unit teaches students how to build arguments that balance evidence and analysis to persuade an audience. Students continue to develop their skills as essayists in the literary essay unit as they learn to write convincingly about texts they have read. In their research-based writing unit, students write research reports in which they use research skills to learn about a central topic and write through historical lenses to build focused research reports
  • English 7

    Students in this reading and writing workshop-style class read and write each day. The goal is to create lifelong readers and writers. The units of study will focus on increasing a student’s reading and writing skills. As readers, students will continue to strengthen their reading ability as a critical thinker by analyzing the author’s craft, message, and intention. Students use reading to better understand who they are and the world around them. Throughout the year, students read, respond to, and discuss a wide variety of both fiction and nonfiction texts. As writers, students will use the writing process as they receive intentional instruction about what authors do as they write. Students will use their “voice” when writing stories and essays that matter to their lives. Throughout the year, they will write poetry, fiction, literary essays, and a research essay.
  • English 8

    Students in this reading and writing workshop-style class read and write each day. The goal is to create lifelong readers and writers. Units of study will focus on increasing a student’s reading and writing skills. As readers, students will continue strengthening their reading ability as a critical thinker analyzing the author's craft, message and intention. Throughout the year, students read, respond to, and discuss a wide variety of both fiction and nonfiction texts. As writers, students will use the writing process as they receive intentional instruction about what authors do as they write. Students will use their “voice” when writing stories and essays that matter to their lives. Throughout the year, students will write memoirs, written responses, literary essays, and research projects.
Maumee Valley Country Day School is the only PreK-12th grade accredited, co-educational, and independent school in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan.